A WORLD Cup joke Tim Farron made about the former Brexit Secretary David Davis was greeted with an awkward silence in the House of Commons.

The former Lib Dem leader claimed he "spent more time filling in his World Cup chart" than David Davis did with EU Brexit negotiators.

He said: "It strikes me that we have become the kind of cliche for a Mediterranean country over the last few weeks, with this incredible weather and on the one hand good at football and on the other chaotic in our politics.

"I know also in the chaos of the last 48 hours many things have been revealed, not least that the now former Secretary of State for Exiting the EU spent a grand total of four hours this year negotiating the deal with Michel Barnier.

"Can I inform the House that I have therefore spent more time filling in my World Cup chart than the Secretary of State formerly for Exiting the European Union spent doing his job?"

I have therefore spent more time filling in my World Cup chart than the Secretary of State spent doing his job

Tim Farron

Their resignations came after the Prime Minister chaired the first meeting of her new Cabinet following the departure of Boris Johnson and David Davis.

They were announced less than an hour before Mrs May was due to face the press alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel at an international summit in London.

In her resignation letter, Ms Caulfield warned that Mrs May's policy "may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out".

Mr Bradley said that the Brexit plan agreed by the Cabinet last week at Chequers would damage the UK's opportunities to develop global trade and be "an outward-looking nation in control of our own destiny" following Brexit.

Brexit news: Tim Farron made a joke about David Davis' time with EU officials on Brexit (Image: GETTY • ParliamentTV)

He said: ”Being tied to EU regulations and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements will be the worst of all worlds.

"If we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Number 10."

Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis said: "Maria Caulfield and Ben Bradley have worked hard since the start of the year to promote women and young people on behalf of the Conservative Party.

"I wish them both well as they return to the backbenches to serve their constituents."